Collapsible rack



N O s N E T R H c P a COL SIBLEI RACK Filed Nov. 1947 QTTOENE! Patented Sept. 22, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE COLLAPSIBLE RACK Sheldon B. Christenson, Salt Lake City, Utah Application November 3, 1947, Serial N 0. 783,648

Claims. 1

This invention relates to a foldable rack or stand and, mor particularly, to a receptacle for newspapers, magazines and the like.

Heretcfore, racks or stands have been provided for use as receptacles for articles, such as newspapers, magazines and the like, as they accumulated in the home or office. However, such racks or stands known to me are objectionable in that when they become filled, it is necessary that the newspapers, magazines and other articles be removed from the stand and thereafter bound into bundles for such disposition as may be desired. Aside from the necessity of having to remove the articles from. the rack in order to bind them into bundles, these prior racks or stands comprise numerous parts which are bolted or otherwise insufficiently secured together so that after comparatively short usage the securing means continuously becomes loose, thus frequently resulting in the collapse of the rack or stand, or otherwise the prior structures do not provide the desired rigidity. Moreover, formerly known devices of this character in most instances were not foldable into compact form permitting the collapsed stand to be shipped in a relatively small container.

It is a primary object of this invention to provide a collapsible rack of such construction as will permit articles supported within the rack to be bound into a bundle prior to removing the articles from the rack.

Another object is to provide a portable rack or stand which upon being collapsed is adapted to be compactly packed in a relatively small container for facilitatin storage and shipping of the device.

Another object is to provide a collapsible newspaper rack which is adequately braced throughout and when adjusted possesses a high degree of inherent rigidity which is not lessened in any degree by repeatedly collapsing and expansion of the rack.

A further object is to provide a foldable stand which readily and quickly can be set up and rigidly supported in position without the aid of adjusting screws, bolts and the like.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a foldable rack or stand which consists of few parts, that will be light in weight, durable, and efficient in supporting articles in a manner that will permit such articles to be bound into a bundle prior to removing the articles from the rack.

The above and other objects may be made apparent throughout the further description of the invention when taken in connection with the accompanyin drawings, wherein like reference characters refer to like parts. It is to be understood that the drawings are not a definition of the invention but merely illustrate a preferred form by means of which a device embodying the invention may be effectuated.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is an isometric View of a rack embodying the invention.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken along the line Ill-II of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 showing the rack in an intermediate collapsed position.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken along the line 4 l of Fig. 1.

In order that the present device may be constructed or few parts and render the present rack relatively light in weight, as well as easy to manipulate from collapsed position to expanded position, there is provided a pair of tubular frame members which may be substantially U-shaped. Each of the U-shaped frame members is inverted and includes a top rail Ill connecting the upper ends of legs II and I2. The legs II and [2 are crossed intermediate their extremities and pivoted at the intersections indicated at l3. It can be readily seen from the drawings that the U-shaped frame members may be folded into collapsed position by merely moving the top members i 8 toward one another. In a preferred form of the present device, a single rod is disposed through a tubular spacer 15 may be utilized for maintaining the entire device in assembled relation. Side members I5 are provided and are supported between the legs II and i2 by means of rods ll. These rods Il may be connected between legs l I and I2 adjacent the upper ends thereof by means of openings I 8 provided through the inner walls of the tubular legs I l and [2. The upper edges of the side members I 6 may terminate in tubular segments 2i through which the rods ll are positioned.

The upper edges of the sides it are free to turn about the rod H during the folding and unfolding of the rack. It will be noticed that the bottom of the rack consists of two spaced, horizontal members 22 and 23. These members 22 and 23 have their opposing edges spaced apart to provide a divided bottom with a longitudinal opening therein, as indicated at 2 5. The outer edges of the members 22 and 2'5 are pivotally connected to the bottom end of their associated sides [6 by means of a rod 25 inserted through alternate folded tubular segments 28 formed on adjacent edges of the sides It and their cooperating bottom members 22 and 23. The inner edges of the bottom members 22 and 23 are curved to form a tubular portion 21, the latter adapted to receive rods 28. The ends of the rods 28 project into opposed slots 29 formed in the legs II and [2 of the U-shaped frame members, and, thus, provide projections operative as slides within said slots when the frame members are collapsed about their pivot axis. The lower ends of the slots 29 terminate above the pivot point it of the legs [I and I2 and support the bottom members 22 and 23 in spaced relation in accordance with the spread of the legs I l and I2.

It can now be understood that when the sides I6 are pivotally supported by the rods l] and the inner edges of the bottom members 22 and 23 are pivotally supported by the rods 28, the latter being slidable within the grooves 29, the single rod l4 cooperating with the tubular spacer member I5 will serve to hold the rack in assembled relation. The ends of the rod I4 may extend through aligned openings provided through the legs II and I2 and threaded means 29 provided on each end of the rod M for maintaining the legs I I and I2 in assembled position with the tubular spacer l5.

Articles such as newspapers and magazines are indicated by the dotted lines at -3I in Fig. 2, and it can be readily observed that a piece of cord or twine may be inserted around the stack of articles 3| by way of the opening 24 provided between the spaced bottom members 22 and 23 and that the accumulated articles may be removed in bound form for such disposition as may be desired.

The present rack may be readily collapsedby grasping the intersections of the bottom members 22 and 23 with the side members It, the bottom members being moved upwardly by the fingers of the operator about their intersection pivot axis. Simultaneously with the turning of the bottom members 22 and 23 upwardly, the sides I6 are urged together, bringing the cross U-shaped frame members into collapsed, substantially parallel relation.

For the purpose of limiting the spread of the legs II and I2, a chain 32 of predetermined length may be provided for comiecting the legs I I and the legs I2, the chain being of such length as to position thebottom members '22 and 23 in substantially horizontal parallel relation.

Accordingly, there is provided a simple, inexpensive, light, efiicient rack that may be readily collapsed or expanded, and when used as a receptacle for articles, such articles may be bound into a bundle prior to removing the articles from the rack. The rack comprises few parts andimay be manufactured at a very small cost. The present rack provides an article that is-much-needed and makes possible the handling .of used articles, such as newspapers and magazines, easily and quickly, and when not in use ma be collapsed and stored in a small space.

It should be noted that the longitudinal opening 24 provides an open channel fromv end to end of the magazine or newspaper-supporting bottom of the rack, in effect completely separating such supporting bottom into two mutually spaced sections and exposing an uninterrupted strip along the bottomof any stack-or stacks-of periodicals within the rack to the applicationof binding cord or the like, whereby, considering the open nature of the supporting legs of they are open uninterruptedly frombottom-to top in communication withthe end openings-f the. bottom channel, the whole forming a container which.

is divided intoopposite sections b agperipheral opening extending uninterruptedly about the container from bottomto topthereof. In.addition to such container, therack .comprisessupporting structure adaptedto holdsthe'container 4 in an elevated position, such supporting structure being, in the illustrated embodiment, legs which serve to maintain the opposite sections of the container in predetermined fixed relationship.

While I have illustrated and described a preferred form of the present device, it will now be apparent to those skilled in the art that certain changes, modifications, substitutions, omissions and additions may be made in the exemplary form-shown without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

I claim:

LA collapsible rack including a pair of inverted U-shaped tubular frame members pivoted together intermediate their extremities, a receptacle carried by the said U-shaped members, the said receptacle including a pair of side memberand bottom member assembliesindependently supported by the respective U-shaped members, the side and bottom members of each of said assemblies being hingedly connected along adjacent intersecting edges, means for pivotally supporting the side member and the bottom of each of said assemblies, the said means including projections extending from said bottom member and elongated slots provided in the corresponding U-shaped members and arranged to slidably receive said projections.

.2.,A collapsible rack including a pair of inverted U-shaped members pivoted together intermediate their extremities, a receptacle including side members pivotally carried by said U-shapedmembers and bottom members hin edly connected to said side members, the said bottom members being spaced apart and having theiropposing endsslidably connected with slots provided in the inner surfaces or" said U-shaped members.

3. A collapsible rack in accordance with claim 2, wherein the said elongated slots are positioned above the pivot point of said U-shaped members.

A. A collapsible rack, including a pair of invertedlu-shaped frame members'pivoted together intermediate the lengths of their respective extremities; and a pair of collapsible side mel ber aand bottom member assemblies independently supported by the respective vU-shaped members, in mutually spaced relationship above the saidpivot connection, the said assemblies beingpositioned in substantially aligned opposition to-each other, so as to provide a receptacle having an open and uninterrupted slit through its bottom above and extending along the pivot axis of 'said frame members when the rack is set up from collapsed position.

5. A collapsible rack inaccordance with claim 4, wherein the said side and bottommembers of each assembly are separate, but hinged together along their intersection edges, and wherein slide and slideway means interconnect the frame members with the respective assemblies, whereby said rack may be completely collapsed.

SHELDON B. CHRISTENSON.

Iteferences'Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 580,655 Thew Apr. 13, 1897 758,072 Hockersmith ADI.'26,.19D4:

1,096,356 Downey .May 12, 1914 1,257,877 Kerr Feb. 26, 1918 1,582,756 Jennings .Apr. 27, 1926 

